Words of Encouragement
by white pedal
Summary: "...Yug...don't repeat what I'm about to tell you to the others, this is to remain our secret, got it?" Yugi blinked, but then nodded, "Okay." Takes place during Duelist Kingdom, friendship fic with Yugi/Joey.


**_A Yugi/Joey friendship oneshot._**

_**Hope you enjoy:)**_

* * *

Yugi woke up to the sound of cursing in the distance, he looked around hazily and was confused from waking up.

He saw Tristan, Tea and Ryou laying around the camp fire but Yugi noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Joey?" he asked himself.

He heard more cursing and it was getting louder and more angry. Yugi got up and went to where the yelling was coming from, when he was eight meteres from the camp he stopped walking.

He saw Joey punching a tree and cursing, kicking the ground and slumped down in defeat, beside him was a small cellphone that was beeping from the other end.

Yugi was starting to get worried fr his friend, so he stepped out of the shadows, "Joey? What's wrong?" Yugi asked with concern.

Joey looked up at Yugi with surprise, he was getting teary-eyed and wiped his eyes before Yugi could see them,"Oh..hey Yug, what are you doing up?"

"I just got up because I heard shouting. Was it you, Joey?" Yugi asked as he kneeled down to Joey's level.

Joey sat beside Yugi, looking embarrassed and rubbing his head, "Y-yeah, sorry about that, did I wake you up? "

Yugi laughed sheepishly, "Yeah just a bit," Yugi gave Joey a sympathetic smile, "So what's wrong?"

Joey froze a bit, but then he looked down clenching his fists with he previous frustration coming back ten fold, "Everything, Yug! I lost to that jerk Kaiba! How could I've been so dumb!?"

Yugi became worried for Joey, after he lost his duel to Kaiba tonight with the new duel disk he invented Joey became depressed, "It's okay, Joey. No one always wins at Duel Monsters. Even I lost a few duels when my grandpa first started teaching me when I was little." Yugi said.

Joey looks at Yugi with anger, but not at his friend but at himself, "You don't understand, Yugi! If I lose to Kaiba what hope do I have to win in this tournament! I got ahead of myself and that creep beat me to a pulp!"

Yugi was dumbfounded, sure Joey often lost at Duel monsters to Tea at school, but the defeat by Kaiba was something else. Joey usually got back on his feet afterwards with a big smile. What was going on?

"Joey, what's wrong? Why are you beating yourself up like this?" Yugi asked.

"Because by losing, I'm on the verge of failing my sister. And she's counting on me to save her! What am I going t do!?" Joey exclaimed in frustration.

Yugi blinked in confusion, was this about him fearing he would fail Serenity? "Is that what this is about? Joey, I know that you don't want Serenity to go blind, none of us do, but one loss isn't enough for you to lose all hope." Yugi explained.

Joey was silent for a very long until he spoke again, "...It is when your sister is going to lose more than her sight..."

Yugi was shocked from what Joey said, "What? Joey What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"...Yug...don't repeat what I'm about to tell you to the others, this is to remain our secret, got it?"

Yugi blinked, but then nodded, "Okay."

Joey took a deep breath and looked out in the distance, not even facing Yugi as he spoke, "...Remember how I told you guys that the disease my sister has is hard to repair?"

Yugi nodded.

"...The doctor called me on my cell phone a few minutes ago...he told me Serenity doesn't just have an eye disease that's making her lose her eyesight, Yugi...her disease is also a form of cancer."

Yugi went wide-eyed in shock and horror, "Cancer!?"

Joey nodded continued, "He told me the disease she has is called Retinoblastoma. A rare type of cancer that effects the eyes, when my sister was born the doctors didn't know what was causing her bad sight at first and thought it was either glaucoma or degeneration. Doctors would find this kind of cancer in babies and little kids, but according to the doctor my sister is one of the rare people who finally get diagnosed with it as a teenager. The disease isn't hereditary in my family from either my ma or dad's side and that's why the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with my sister's eyes when she was growing up...and that's not even the worst part."

_Flashback_

_"My sister has cancer in her eyes!?" Joey exclaimed into his cellphone and he shook in rage._

_The doctor on the other line answers, **"I'm afraid so, Mr. Wheeler, when we took an X ray of your sister we saw the tumor in her left eye and that's how we were able to finally diagnose her. Retinoblastoma can be hard to detect if there is no family history of the disease, and we checked both of your parents sides of the family and both are clear of it. It's a miracle that your sister's sight lasted this long, and now that we know of her disease we know what surgery to perform...but we must do it soon."**_

_"Joey nodded, "Right, when I get the money I'll pay for the operation as soon as possible before it's too late."_

**_"...Yes, but there is more at stake than your sister's sight, Mr.__ Wheeler."_**

_Joey blinked, "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked on his phone._

_The doctor continued, **"The tumor in your sister's left eye is small, but it's already starting to grow and it must be destroyed before is gets too big. If it does your sister's sight will be lost and we might have to remove her eye."**_

_Joey was shocked and felt his stomach turn, "R-remove her eye?" Joey said shakingly. Joey became horrified at the thought of Serenity's eye being removed and having to wear an eye patch for the rest of her life._

**_"..And eventually miss Wheeler will not survive once the tumor grows."_**

_Joey felt his blood run cold from the doctor's words, "W-what do you mean, doc?"_

_The doctor was silent for a moment, then he answered, **"Like I said, Retinoblastoma is a rare form of cancer and it will effect more than just your sister's sight. Like most cancer it is deadly, and if the surgery does not happen soon while the tumor is still small, not only will your sister lose her sight...the tumor will reach her brain, and in a few weeks, or months or a year...she will die."**_

_Joey felt like he was choking, "Die!?" he nearly shouted._

**_"I'm afraid so...Retinoblastoma has caused a lot of death among children when not treated quickly enough. And time is running out for her, Mr. Wheeler, and from what I understand your mother cannot afford the operation, so you better win the prize money quick, or your sister's future will be lost."_**

Yugi was shocked, but then he frowned, "..Oh Joey..."

"When she sent me the video, she was in the hospital room and that was after they told Serenity the time has come...she was smiling but she had tears in her eyes...she said that she said that she wanted to see me one last time...at first I thought she meant see me before she loses her eyesight...but it wasn't just that, when she goes blind and that tumor spreads to her brain it will be all over for her! It wasn't just her wanting to see me before she goes blind, in the video she was actually telling me she wanted to be with me before she has to say goodbye to this world!" Joey started crying a bit.

Yugi was silent the whole time. So this is why Joey was so upset, it was bad enough knowing that Joey's sister was on the verge of losing her sight but he had no idea that the disease she had was also taking her life in the process. Yugi now knew that with Joey, there was more at stake and not just his sister's sight, her life was in his hands.

Yugi placed his hand on Joey's shoulder as Joey buried his face in his hands, "You can't give up now, Joey. You care too much about your sister to let that happen to her, and I know you will get the money for her operation and save her."

Joey looks at Yugi with blood shot red eyes from crying, "But how Yugi?" Joey chocked, "Time is running out and not only is my sister going blind, death is coming her door step, I don't want my baby sister to go blind and I don't want to end up going to her funeral either. But after Kaiba beat me tonight, how do I know I'll actually win?"

Yugi looked at him sternly, "Because you promised her. And I know you will never go back on that. Especially now you know there is more at stake and Serenity needs you more than ever."

Joey sniffed, "I know did...but..I don't know if I might be able to keep it. Serenity's sight and life hang in the balance..and if I fail her...I really will be a worthless mutt like Kaiba said. My sister has always been an angel, and she had nothing but misery and disappointment since day one, from being born with bad eyesight, to a broken family and going back and forth to the hospital, and now she finds out her disease might kill her soon, it's just one big slap to the face after another for her! She never deserved any of this, and if I lose this tournament she'll suffer for it...she'll never be able to live her life the way she wanted and she'll probably die within a few months afterwards without enjoying life for once."

"You'll only really fail her if you give up. Joey, you made your little sister a promise that no matter what happens, you'll get her the money for her operation, and I know that she believes in you like we do. You came here to save your sister like I'm here to save my grandpa from Pegasus and we'll all do whatever it takes to reach those goals and we will win, and I know you will do it for Serenity's sake."

Joey blinked, "Really, you think so Yug?"

Yugi smiled and nodded, "Of course, you're her big brother. Everything you're doing, you're doing it for her, and I've never met anyone so dedicated their sibling like you Joey, so forget what Kaiba said because you know your goals and you know what you're fighting for and know what you are trying to protect."

Joey wiped his eyes again and smiled at his friend, "Thanks Yugi."

Yugi smiled back, "Anytime Joey."

Joey picked up his phone and both boys headed back to camp and both boys were in their train of thought. Yugi was shocked from Joey's confession about the full details of Serenity's disease. Losing her eyesight was bad enough, but knowing her disease was actually deadly makes it worse and Joey is not only fighting for her sight, but also her life.

_"This is more serious than I thought!"_ Yugi thought to himself_, "I never knew that Joey's situation was worse than what he told us on the boat about Serenity going blind, now for Joey this is about life and death__. This is something he can't afford to lose or else it will cost his sister more than just her sight, it will cost Joey a little sister all together! Time is running out for the both of us, but I know Joey can do it, he has to. He can't afford to lose this tournament like me!"_

Then, in his mind, his darker half looked onto Joey, _"Joey...you better give it your all. You lost your little sister once years ago, you must win this competition if you ever wish to save her sight and keep her in this world. We both have to get our heads in the game, my grandfather's soul and your sister's sight, and now her life, hang in the balance."_

Joey was looking ahead with his head held up and had a determine look. Then he started to remember what Serenity said to him in the video tape.

_"I'm sending you this video just so you don't forget your little sister's face, it seems that I'm running out of time...I just wanted to see you once more..before..well um, well you understand, bye bye brother...so long, take care Joey."_

Now he knew what she meant, the cryptic message was now clear. Serenity telling him to not forget her face, that she wanted to see him for one last time...he clenched his fists, he is determined to save Serenity, both her sight and her life.

_"Don't you worry Serenity, I will win this! but I promise you that I WILL save your eyesight and stop that tumor before it spreads! You suffered enough and I will save you and make sure that you see good as new, see me duel and set you free from your death sentence! __I will make sure that you get the good life that you deserve and you'll see your big brother again, I promise."_

* * *

**_The end._**


End file.
